Driving mechanism for amusement devices



Aug- 19, 1930. A. SPILLMAN 1,773,636

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES Filed Nov. 7, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet l IN EN 773R ALBERT SPILL-MM! I Aug. 19, 1930. sp M1,773,636

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES Filed Nov. '7, 1925- 2Sheets-Sheet 2 KM Patented Aug. 19,1930

PATENT orrict;

ALBERT sPILLMAn, or NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK DRIVING MECHANISM nonAMUSEMENT DEVICES,

Application filed ove mber My invention relates to improvements indriving mechanisms for amusement devices and the object of the inventionis to construct a mechanism whereby a drivin'g cablepass- '5 ingunderneath a platform is connected to and propels a plurality of cars orother passenger carrying devices movably mounted thereon. A further object'of the invention is to so construct the cable drive that it'will becapable of propelling the cars along an undulated platform and a stillfurther object of the invention is to construct the cable receiv ingdriving mechanism of a minimum number of parts so that the amusementdevice may be very readily assembled and taken' asunder fortransportation.

My invention consists of a driving mechanism for amusement devicesconstructed and arranged all as hereinafter more particularly describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the amusement device showing thepassenger carrying cars positioned upon an undulated platform. I w aFig. 2 is an inverted plan vlew of the platform structure showing thecable driving mechanism which ispositioned beneath the platformconnecting with the cable engaging means on the cars which extendtherethro'ugh.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cable drive showing the cable passingtherefrom to the passenger carrying devices.

fragmentary portion of the platform showing the truck of one of thepassenger carrying devices mounted thereonand the cable gripping meanstherefor which extends through a slot in the platform, the cable thereonbeing shown in the dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is an inverted view thereof and Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectionalview through the line 66 Figure 4.

. Like characters of-reference indicate cor-: responding parts in thediife'rent views;

1 is the platform which can be of any required formation being alsopreferably undulated and supported upon a plurality of posts 2. thiscase the platform is shown V Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view of a7, 1925. Serial No. 67,618.

being adapted to project through the slot 3, and 7 are rollers rotatablymounted upon the lower portions of the spindles 6 and positionedunderneath-theslot 3 running between a pair of oval tracks 8 of invertedL- shape cross section which are positioned underneath the the slot 3.

platform one upon each side of j 9 is a bar having a pair of orifices 10therein, each adapted to receive thereduced threaded ends of one of thespindles 6 which are inserted thereinto, the bar extending between thepair of spindles and secured there to by the. nuts 11. Upon each end ofthe bar a detachable, universal ball socket 12 is-provided, each socketbeing adapted to receive thebulbous end 14 of one of the connecting rods13 which extend between the adjacent bars 9 of each car. The ball socket12 is of the split type, the two portions being connected together overthe bulbous end 14 of thero'dl3 by means of the bolt 15, and 16is v apin forsecurlng the socket to the end of the r bar 9. 17 are a pair ofcable receiving jaws positioned one in the vicinity of each end of thebar9 and secured thereto by pairs of bolts 18, and 19 is a frictionpadinserted at. the root of the jaw and against which the cable rides.Upon the outer end of the lower member of the jaw I provide an upwardlyextending lug 20 for preventing any possibility of the cable riding outshould it accidentally become slack. a j

21 is a subsidiary frame mounted underneath the platform of the deviceand in which is journaled a verticalshaft 22 carrying a bevelgear23-which issuitably driven from V a source of power. The upper end ofthe shaft 22 carries a pulley wheel 24,. 25 is a tensioning pulley Wheelsecured to the stub shaft 26 which is movably mounted in relation to theshaft 22. A third pulley 27 is provided upon the frame 21, the cable 28which extends around the various pairs of jaws 17 of the passengercarrying devices being wound around the three pulleys in the followingmanner. 1

On reference to that the cable 28 on leaving the jaws 17 of thepassenger carrying devlces passes in the direction indicated by thearrow on such figure onto the pulley 27 passing partially therearoundand extending to the pulley 24. from where it passes to the pulley 25,passing therearound and back to the pulley 24 from where it extendsagain around the pulley 25 passing therefrom back to its engagement withthe jaws 17 on the preceding cars.

When the cable which is of the endless type is properly tensioned, it isdrawn in wardly against the cushions 19 in the respectivepairs of jaws17, a positive driving connection being constituted between the cableand the jaws, the rollers 7 upon the lower ends of the spindles 6bearing against the inner track 8. Upon reference to Figures 2 and?) ofthe drawings, the operation of my cable drive Will be readilyappreciated. It will be seen that as the cars movinginj a clockwisedirection approach the cable driving mechanism that the cable willgradually come out of engagement with the jaws 17 passing onto thepulley 27 so that the cars are completely disengaged from the cable inpassing the cable driving mechanism, again reengaging the cable upon thefar side of the cable driving mechanism after it leaves the pulley 25.

It will be seen that by my construction I have devised a drive whereineach car is connected to the driving cable, the connectingrods 13constituting a means for positioning the cars in their spaced apartrelation, and also constltuting a means for propelllng each car past thecable driving mechanism, as during this period the cable is necessarilydisengaged therefrom. Should it be possible however that one of theseconnecting rods 13 become unfastened it will be appreciated that thecable will tend to keep the two cars which were connected by theunfastened rod 13 in their required spaced apart relation. This featureis particularly desirable and necessary in an amusement device as shownin Figure 1 wherein each of the cars 14 has an individual erraticmovement passing around the platform, each of the cars being liable torun backwards, sideways or rotate in aiclockwise'oranti-clockwise'direction. It is therefore necessary to insure thatadjacent cars have complete clearance of each other in alltheirmovements, for this reason the connecting rods 13 are provided. Itwill, therefore, be seen that should one of these connecting rodsbecomendisengaged as Figure 3 it will be seen before described that aserious accident might occur should the cars connected by such rodsapproach one another and collide. The provision of the driving cablepassing tautly around the cars very materially assists to eliminate thepossibility of accidents should such a breakage occur.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provideda particularly simple and efficient means for driving a plurality ofcars around either a regular or irregular track froma single source ofpower and by the provision of rollers bearing against the track underthe influence of the cable have devised means whereby the carsmay'follow any desired path and not beconfined to a circular movement asis only possible where radiating arms or sweeps carrying cable jaws areused.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A driving mechanism for amusementdevices comprising a platform having a plurality of connected passengercarrying cars movable thereon, an 'endlesscable engaging and propellingthe cars uponthe platform, means for driving the cable, means wherebysaid cable comes out of engagement with the cars as they pass inproximity to the cable drivingineans, and means for propelling saiddisengaged cars through the medium of the other connected cars engagingthe cable.

2. A'driving mechanism for amusement devices comprising an undulatedplatform having a plurality of passenger carrying cars movable thereon,an endless driving cable, means for drivingthe cable, means whereby thecars are engaged by the cable and propelled around the platform comingout of engagement therewith as they approach the cable driving means andcoming into endriving means, and means whereby each car is propelledpast the cable driving means by the other cars which are in engagementwith the cable drive. 7

3. A driving mechanism for amusement devices comprising a platformhaving an endless slot therein, a plurality of means extending throughand adapted to travel along the slot, a plurality of cars connected tothe upper ends of said means and adapted to roll passing around theunder side of the platform in the vicinity of the slot, means fordriving the cable, means whereby the means extending'through the slot,in the platform are successively engaged, by the cable and proon theplatform, an endless driving cable pelled around the slot coming out ofengagement therewith as they approach the cable driving means and cominginto engagement therewith when they pass the cable driving means, andmeans whereby each car is propelled past the cable driving means by theother cars which are in engagement with the cable drive. a

4. A driving mechanism for amusement devices comprising a platformhaving an endless slot therein, a plurality of cars adapted to roll onthe platform and having spindles extending downwardly through the slot,an endless cable passing around the platform in the vicinity of theslot, jaws carried by the lower ends of the spindles and into which thecable is adapted to enter, and rods extending between the spindles ofadjacent cars for retaining the cars in their spaced apart relation.

5. A driving mechanism for amusement devices comprising a platformhaving an endless slot therein, a plurality of cars adapted to roll onthe platform, and having spindles extending downwardly through the slot,an endless cable passing around the platform in the vicinity of theslot, jaws carried by the lower ends of the spindles and into which thecable is adapted to enter, and lugs extending upwardly from the lowermembers of the jaws for preventing the cable becoming accidentallydisplaced therefrom.

6. In an amusement apparatus or roundabout, a passenger vehiclecomprising a superstructure and an under carriage with whichthesuperstructure has a swivel connection for unrestricted rotary motionabout its axis, means for supporting the superstructure beyond theundercarriage, an undulating track upon which the undercarriage travelsin a fixed path, an endless slot therein, an endless drive below theundulating track for imparting travelling motion to the vehicle,

means for connecting the undercarriage with the drive, and a guideelement for maintaining the travel of the undercarriage in the fixedpath on the undulating track.

7 An amusement apparatus or roundabout as claimed in claim 6, in whichthe underside of the undulating track is provided with guide bars atopposite sides of the slot for engaging the guide element and coactingwith it to maintain the travel of the undercarriage in the fixed path. I

8. An amusement apparatus or roundabout as claimed in claim 6 in whichthe undercarriage is provided with wheels which engage the top surfaceof the undulating track at opposite sides of the endless slot.

9. An amusement apparatus or roundabout as claimed in claim 6, in whichthe underside of the undulating track is provided with guide bars atopposite sides of the slot, and the undercarriage is provided with aguide element extending through the slot and engaging the guide bars formaintaining the travel of the undercarriage in the fixed path, andisalso provided with a grip for engaging the endless drive. a

10. An amusement apparatus or round about as claimed in claim 6, inwhich swivel means are provided for coupling together severalundercarriages in series at predetermined distances apart between theirswivel points of connection, rigidly maintaining the spaced intervalsbetween the vehicles and permitting the undercarriages tofollow the lineof the slot and the undulations of the track. 1

11. An amusement apparatus or roundabout as claimedin claim 6,in whichthe swivel connection for the vehicle consists of a socket in theundercarriage close to the undulating track, a ball for thesuperstructure entered in the socket, and clamping means maintaining theassembly of the ball and socket.

12. An amusement apparatus or roundabout as claimed in claim 6, in whichseveral undercarriages are connected together in series and maintainedat predetermined distances apart between their swivelling points ofconnection by rigid coupling bars each of which is swiveled by ball andsocket connections to two adjacent vehicles.

13. An amusement apparatus or round-- about as claimed in-claim 6, inwhich each undercarriage is provided with two studs extending throughthe slot, a brace rigidly connecting the studs below the undulatingtrack, a grip carried by the brace, and engaging the endless drive, andrigid bars connected by ball and socket joints to the braces couplingseveral vehicles together in series and main- 9 taining theundercarriages at predetermined distances apart between their swivellingpoints of connection.

ALBERT SPILLMAN.

